Archibald Henderson

     Archibald Henderson was estimated to have been born bef. 1785 probably in ?PER, SCT, (Not in St Ninians OPR, nor Stirling 1760-1789, nor Perth or Kincardine 1780s).
     Archibald Henderson married Margaret McEwan, daughter of James McEwan and Margaret Fisher, on 28 Oct 1804 at Stirling, STI, SCT, Banns called Stirling and Kincardine by Doune, Perth: "Archibald of Stirling Parish, Margaret of Kincardine by Doune."^2,3,4
     Archibald Henderson died on 16 Feb 1826 at Bridge of Allan, Lecropt, STI, SCT; In a 1957 letter from Millie Harbour to Earl Henderson "...his (James H) parents died when he and his two brothers were infants, and were brought up and educated by a wealthy uncle" (which implies that one of the three brothers and the sister died young? The wealthy relations have yet to be found!!).
     A previous date of 1822 was based on the assumption that the widow Margaret McEwan at Quoigs Toll House that appears in the cash books at the same time Archibald disappears is Archibald's wife - very circumstantial, and proved incorrect once inventory sighted. The date was revised to before Mar 1828 when will discovered in index to Scottish Wills: "Henderson Archibald 25/3/1828 Smith, at Bridge of Allan, husband of Margaret McGwan or McEwan Stirling Sheriff Court". The scanned copy shows that the inventory was taken 25 Mar 1828 but Archibald died 16th Feb 1826, intestate.^5,6,7,8
     The father of Archibald Henderson was likely to be William or James Henderson. Archibald Henderson and Robert Henderson at Logie, PER, SCT, fr 1691 - 1755 were possibly related, Earlier Hendersons in the Parish included one or possibly two smiths called Robert from 1691 to 1755, this being gleaned from:
"Early entries in The Register of Depursements to the Poor and oyr wayes since Mr Alexander Douglas was ordained Minr of the Paroch of Logie" which included assorted payments for smith work and also for other assorted services eg...
     " for taking of ye said man to Lecropt upon his horse and for his bed all night, £-/6/-"; 1714 Apr 18 to Robt Hendersone smith for his horse to take the sd Mistris Campbell to the Minister's of Lecropt £-/4/-; 1715 May 1 to Robt Hendersone, smith at Logie, for an Goallon of call given to Elizabeth Galloway the time of her sickness £0/16/0; for two pound of candle which was burnt waiting upon the foresaid Elizabeth Galloway the time of her sickness £-/9/4; for an load of coalls which was burnt, etc £/0/3/0; 1722 Jan 25 to Robert Hendersone, smith at Logie, for four lippies of corn to the Minister's horse that came here to preach dureing (sic) our vacancie £0/8/0; (This book finished May 1726). Entries from "The Register of Collections" show Robert Henderson's Annual rent £3/-/- in 1755 Mar 23; (I ignored the Hendersons of Westerton entries as they were the "posh" Hendersons of the neighbourhood and unlikely to be ours).
     There were also references to an Alexander Hendersone, wright at Pathfoot of Aithrey for a coffine to the corps of John Dickie who lived in Aithrey £2/10/- in 1755 ; and to a John Hendersone who lived in the Midletoune of Aithrey and now in Stirling he and his family being in a very mean condition, £6/-/-; (The above is one of numerous similar entries anent the said John Hendersone and his family, who apparently were supported in Stirling by the Session of Logie).⁹
     Archibald Henderson and John Henderson at Logie, PER, SCT, in Nov 1766 were possibly related John being described as "late tenent in Logie, Widower and aged about 66 years or thereby" called as a witness for the Minister of Logie in the case where the Minister pursued his supposedly "poinded" cows which were alleged to be pasturing in the defendants Inclosures rather than on the Minister's grounds. This John is presumably the same John Henderson, one of "three judicious honest Farmers and disinterested Persons to be valuators of the Grounds to be designed" in the petition in Nov 1771 where the Minister's grazing for a horse and two cows was legally defined. This John was described as of Blair Logie. A Mr Henderson, feuar of Airthrey was represented by his stepson at the same hearing.^10,11 It is possible that Archibald's children were taught by the Peter Henderson referred to as teacher at Bridge of Allan in 1800.¹² Fr 27 May 1807 - 22 May 1813 Archibald Henderson was a smith (cash book stopped at 22 May 1813) on the Keir Farm, STI, SCT.⁵ He and David Henderson at Bridge of Allan, Lecropt, STI, SCT, in 1808 were possibly related, as David was a witness at the chr. of Archibald's dtr Margaret.¹³
     Archibald Henderson and James Henderson in the Par. of Logie, PER, SCT, on 1 Mar 1808 were possibly related as being in the Parish at the same time. The accounts for the new church include payments ordered to be paid to Jas. Henderson, for:
     "last instalment of Churchyard Dyke, £73; for bridge leading into the church £5/10/-; for repairing Hearse House and putting up chimney on the Session house and another in the Minister's room, and 4s extra on the Brdige £1/8/2."¹⁴
     Fr 1809 - 1823 Archibald Henderson was shown as a blacksmith at the Old Cott Houses, Bridge of Allan, STI, SCT, Regular entries for £15.0.0 rental per year, whitsun to whitsun, appear from 1810 thru 1823, with payments usually made May and Nov of £7.10.0 each.
     In 1810 arrears of £7.10.0 were owed by Archibald H. (possibly settling of father's accounts?) thereafter, always regularly paid.
     Rental for 1823 'crop' states 'Archibald Henderson now James Ferguson, smith', and rental increases to £20.0.0 which he pays in full, ie no discount.
     1822 rentals now include a Margaret McEwan at the Quoigs toll house ?widow?⁵ Fr 1809 - 1823 Archibald Henderson was a blacksmith, from 'Whitsun to Whitsun' (dates & place from Stirling of Keir papers) at Bridge of Allan, Lecropt, STI, SCT.^1,5,6 He and James Henderson at Bridge of Allan, STI, SCT, in 1810 were possibly related, probably siblings or father/son? as the Stirling of Keir Rental books show William Anderson Smith, Bridge of Allan in 1806.
     In 1807 the smith is James Henderson, with Wm A. having arrears of rentals.
     By 1808 William Anderson is no longer described as Smith, and by 1809 disappears from the records, leaving Janet Anderson in the Old Cott houses at Bridge of Allan.
     By 21 Dec 1809 James Henderson, Smith, accounts were paid in full then 4 Jun 1810 the rentals are paid by Archibald Henderson, smith for rental in the Old Cott houses at Bridge of Allan. (I assume James was Archibald's father although the naming pattern of Archibald's children would imply a William, and that he died or retired c. 1810).⁵
     At the time Archibald was doing smithing work on Keir Farm, the Keir estates were owned by James Stirling of Keir and Cawder, "born 8 Oct 1766 and succeeding his father William who died May 1793. James did much to embellish Keir and died unmarried at age 64, being succeeded in turn by his brother Archibald Stirling who was a planter in Jamaica for 25 yrs."¹⁵
     Another possible relation was James Henderson as James was a witness to the chr. of Archibald's son John in 1817 at Bridge of Allan, PER, SCT.¹³
     An Inventory of the estate of Archibald Henderson was taken on 25 Mar 1828 at Bridge of Allan, STI, SCT, The SCAN index reads: Henderson Archibald 25/3/1828 Smith, at Bridge of Allan, husband of Margaret McGwan or McEwan Stirling Sheriff Court. The actual document is an Inventory taken 25 Mar 1828 of the "personal estate of Archibald Henderson Smith at Bridge of Allan who died on the sixteenth day of February eighteen hundred and twenty six say eighteen hundred and twenty six".
     Estate consisted of: cash in house 6d; and assorted debts owed to the deceased for work totalling approx. £188, valuation being signed by Margaret Henderson and John Fraser
     "At Stirling the twenty eight day of Mar 1828 in presence of John Fraser Esq Commisary Depute of the Commissariat of Stirling appeared Mrs Margaret McEwan or Henderson the widow and executrix of the deceased Archibald Henderson Smith at Bridge of Allan who being solemnly sworn and examined deposes that the said Archibald Henderson died intestate upon the sixteenth day of February 1826 that the deponent is about to enter upon the possession and management of the deceased personal estate as executrix qua relict That the deponent knows of no settlement or other wording left by the deceased relative to the disposal of his personal estate of effects or any part of them ...."
     Signed by Margaret Henderson (ie not as McEwan) and John Fraser as being valued between 100 and 200 pounds "All which is truth as the Deponent shall answer to God."⁶
     Archibald Henderson and John Allan Henderson are related The other John Allan Henderson, s/o James Joseph, grd son of John, great great grandson of this Archibald, went to Bermuda (during WWii?) helping the navigator. The person in charge was another John Allan Henderson from Saskatchewan ex Scotland, a skipper on RAF transport command based Montreal. They determined that ther respective grandfather's grandfathers were the same. (Possibly this story is a generation out as Allan did not know that Archibald was his great grandfather's name, either way, if anyone knows of a Scottish born Canadian John Allan Henderson that fits this description I'd love to hear from you).¹⁶
     The History of Logie Parish written in the 1890s describes Bridge of Allan as: "...now a fashionable watering-place, lies about three miles north of Stirling, and is most picturesquely situated upon the left bank of the celebrated Allan Water. At the beginning of the nineteenth century it was only a small hamlet; but since then it has developed into a flourishing burgh, including the village of Keirfield on the other bank of the river.... The western spurs of the green Ochil Hills protect the town from northern and eastern winds, and its mild winter climate has made it a very suitable place of residence for delicate people, retired Anglo-Indians, and others who have been used to warmer-climates"
     "Little progress was indicated in 1827, when Mr Robert Chambers, in his Picture of Scotland, describes it as "a confusion of straw-roofed cottages and rich massy trees; possessed of a bridge and a mill, together with kail yards, bee-skeps, colleys, callants, and old inns"
     The Minister of Logie supplied a history of the parish for Sinclair's Statistical Account III, published in 1792: the population 30 years before being 1500 "in each of the three counties"; plenty of peat in Moss Flanders about 4 miles from the church; Poor rates were paid half by the heritors and the other by the tenants, some £40 being paid to 33 poor in 1774, £38 being distributed in 1775 and "for some years past" £12 being advanced, "the poor live in their own houses, and none were allowed to beg".^17,18,19